Drabble Drawer
by Aya Diefair
Summary: A collection of unrelated 1-shots I didn't want to be stand-alone's (i.e. pretty much everything I write). 100-750WC. Mixed pairings/characters/situations. Summaries/genres/ratings/pairings listed accordingly. Table of Contents Included! - — Thanks for reading.
1. Table of Contents

**Author's Note:** The following is a Table of Contents for the 1-shots between 100-750 words to be posted here. I do not care if this isn't allowed, consider it a courtesy to help you find what you want to read in here, Reader. I will update it as things are posted or removed.

If some stories appear familiar to you in this collection, it is because that particular 1-shot is a part of a bigger project I am working on and has been modified enough to read as a stand-alone, but are then reconstructed to fit where it belongs within a Multi-Chapter or Series somewhere else.

Consider everything in here canon-divergent and AU, as that is what fanfiction is. This means that nearly everything written here is not canon compliant. I only really consider the books and the Fantastic Beasts series true canon. Pottermore and Cursed Child information is used occasionally but is considered apocrypha only and not officially canon. A lot of my personal headcanons are also used and applied regularly.

I try my best to have representation in my stories and portray them as appropriately and respectfully as I am capable of. This may include characters with autism, varying sexualities and romance preferences, ethnicities, people of color, and varying religions and cultures.

There will be stories portraying unhealthy, dangerous or hostile situations, relationships, and practices. I write these because Fanfiction is a form of therapy to me, and I process a lot of my own tragedies and experiences within my writing, albeit exaggerated. This does not mean I condone the behavior/actions within these stories, but I also have no intention of excusing them, either. I will tag everything with appropriate warnings, however, I will not tag for relationship or sexuality types. If that upsets you, then go elsewhere. Please use your own discretion when reading. You know your own limits, likes, dislikes, and triggers.

I will use the forward-slash (/) to indicate partnerships, and an ampersand (&) to indicate platonic or enemy-based relationships.

All word counts are from Google Docs and excludes the Author's Notes. Original written date is an estimation based on the creation of the Google document it was allegedly written in and, to the best of my knowledge, was when that story was created.

Enjoy.

— - Aya Diefair

* * *

**Chapter 1: **Table of Contents

* * *

**Chapter 2: **Shooting Stars - Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy - **Rated K** \- Hurt/Comfort

**Summary: **During an Astronomy assignment, Draco yearns to confess his feelings to the brightest witch of their age, but stargazing will have to do. - — 8th Year Hogwarts.

**Content Tag: **Pining/Longing

**Word Count: **624

**Originally Written: **October 2017

* * *

**Chapter 3:** You Can't Be Sirius? - Draco Malfoy - **Rated K** \- Drama, Family

**Summary:** Draco analyzes his relation to the muggle mass murderer; Sirius Black. - — 1993/1994 School Year (Prisoner of Azkaban).

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of mental instability in a poor light.

**Word Count: **716

**Originally Written: **November 2017

* * *

**Chapter 4: **My Sweet Prince - Narcissa & Draco Malfoy - **Rated T** \- Hurt/Comfort, Family, Tragedy

**Summary:** How can one cope with loss without the euphoric emptiness that can take away the pain? - — Post-Hogwarts. First Person.

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of Death, Mourning, Depression, Drug Abuse/Addiction, Forced Admission into a Rehabilitation Hospital Center, Drug Withdrawals/Recovery

**Word Count: **468

**Author's Note: **This is a darker piece I picked up after listening to a song sharing the same name one too many times. It shows a person spiraling into a deep depression to the point where drugs are used to numb them. I do not find this method appropriate or healthy in any way at all, but I also know that it is a common problem a lot of people cope with every day of their lives. Addiction is one of the worst sicknesses out there that is often used as a means to comfort other ailments, and often becomes a vicious cycle.

**Originally Written: **February 2018

* * *

**Chapter 5:** Wedding Planner - Narcissa Malfoy/Lucius Malfoy - **Rated K** \- Family

**Summary: **Narcissa wants to make sure Draco has some say in his wedding. Lucius knows she is doing it out of spite. They both are still not fond of Astoria.

**Warning** **Tag:** Implied/Referenced Xenophobia

**Word Count:** 329

**Originally Written: **March 2020

* * *

**Chapter 6:** Enraged - Narcissa Malfoy/Lucius Malfoy - **Rated T **\- Family

**Summary: **When Narcissa learned what that little black diary had done by Lucius' hand with no regard to the risk of their son, she became the serpent to fear.

**Warning Tag:** N/A

**Word Count:** 479

**Originally Written:** March 2020

* * *

**Chapter 7: **Bad Blood - Alecto Carrow - **Rated T** \- General

**Summary**: Teaching the young students of Hogwarts about Muggles was exactly the position Alecto Carrow was eager to do. 1997/1998 School Year.

**Warning Tag:** Descriptions of torture, murder, and persecution of the accused mentioned. Wizard alternative slurs used.

**Word Count:** 443

**Originally Written: **March 2018

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**Chapter 8: **Fyre Lesson - Amycus Carrow - **Rated T **\- General

**Summary:** Teaching students the darkest of spells is a specialty to Amycus. 1997/1998 School Year.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count: **585

**Originally Written:** April 2019

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**Chapter 9: **Meddling Myrtle - Myrtle Warren & Draco Malfoy - **Rated K+ **\- General

**Summary: **Myrtle really liked this boy who visited her all the time, but her curiosity got the best of her.

**Warning Tag: **Implied Mention of Murder

**Word Count: **513

**Originally Written: **April 2020

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**Chapter 10: **Reindeer Games - Lavender Brown/Padma Patil - **Rated K **\- General

**Summary: **Lavender and Padma were running late to the quidditch game. The blizzard didn't help.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count: **234

**Originally Written:** April 2020

* * *

**Chapter 11: **Raspberry Tea Leaves - Remus Lupin & Nymphadora Tonks - **Rated T** \- General

**Summary: **Tonks has her off days, but she tries to bite the bullet and deal with it.

**Warning Tag: **References to Menstruation

**Word Count: **706

**Originally Written: **August 2019

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**Chapter 12: **Beachside Admirtions - Lavender Brown/Parvati Patil; Dean Thomas/Seamus Finnagin - **Rated K **\- General

**Summary: **Beaches were a great way to get a breath of fresh air and admiring the scenery.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count:** 414

**Originally Written: **April 2020

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**Chapter 13: **Reliving the Moment - Minerva McGonagall - **Rated K **\- General

**Summary: **After seeing students practicing quidditch in the distance, Minerva wanted to feel the wind on her face again.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count:** 722

**Originally Written: **April 2020

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**Chapter 14: **Be Still, Baby Mine - Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks; Ted Tonks; Teddy Lupin - **Rated K** \- Family

**Summary: **Tonks wanted to show off Teddy to the one person who never got to meet him.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count: **530

**Originally Written: **April 2020

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**Chapter 15: **Throwdown: Round One - Alicia Spinnet/Katie Bell/Angelina Johnson - **Rated T** \- Drama

**Summary: **It was the first time the three were playing pro, and for two of them it would be their last.

**Warning Tag: **References to Fighting; Sustaining Injury; Swearing

**Word Count: **647

**Originally Written: **April 2020

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**Chapter 16: **This Crooked Castle - Hogwarts Castle - **Rated K **\- General

**Summary: **Hogwarts still stood tall, even when the earth shook and the rock beneath collapsed.

**Warning Tag:** N/A

**Word Count: **365

**Originally Written: **April 2020

* * *

**Chapter 17: **Anything For You - Draco Malfoy/Astoria Greengrass - **Rated K+ **\- General

**Summary: **Draco wanted to save Astoria, but not with dark magic.

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of Blood Curses

**Word Count: **675

**Originally Written: **May 2020

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**Chapter 18: **Moon Glistened Rain - Remus Lupin - **Rated K** \- General

**Summary: **It was a full moon, but Remus wasn't going to let it tarnish the joy of being a new father.

**Warning Tag: **N/A

**Word Count: **575

**Originally Written: **May 2020

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**Chapter 19: **The Curse - Ginny Weasley - **Rated T **\- General

**Summary: **It was easy for others to say Ginny was fine, but only she knew herself.

**Warning Tag: **Referenced Possession/Trauma/Obsession/Manipulation/Brainwashing/Insanity

**Word Count:** 460

**Originally Written: **September 2018

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**Chapter 20: **Just Me... - Ginny Weasley - **Rated T -** General

**Summary: **Everyone thought Ginny would be fine, even Ginny herself. Her diary says otherwise.

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of Possession; Obsessed With Tormentor

**Word Count: **643**  
Originally Written: **September 2018

* * *

**Chapter 21: **Yuletide Comforts - Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini - **Rated T** \- Hurt/Comfort, Family

**Summary: **Harry loved Christmas, but hated decorating for it. At least one person he loved knew this.

**Warning Tag: **References to Canon Child Abuse

**Word Count: **589

**Originally Written: **July 2020

* * *

**Chapter 22: **Healing Rain - Draco Malfoy/Astoria Greengrass - **Rated K+ **\- Hurt/Comfort, Family

**Summary: **Draco never understood Astoria's fascination with the rain until he needed to feel it, too.

**Warning Tag: **References Miscarriage

**Word Count: **732

**Originally Written: **September 2020

* * *

**Chapter 23: **Breakfast for Th(r)ee - Draco Malfoy/Astoria Greengrass - **Rated K **\- Family

**Summary: **Draco and Astoria always made breakfast together, but it became less frequent when Astoria fell ill. But one morning came with a surprise.

**Warning Tag: **References Pregnancy Symptoms

**Word Count: **407

**Originally Written: **September 2020

* * *

**Chapter 24: **Artistic Disaster - Xenophilius Lovegood/Dione Lovegood, Luna Lovegood - **Rated T** \- Family, Tragedy

**Summary: **Mother and daughter pursued their dreams while sitting on the kitchen floor.

**Warning Tag: **Character Death; Child Witnessing Death

**Word count: **(Per Google Docs) 335

**Originally Written: **May 2018

* * *

**Chapter 25: **Starstruck - Draco Malfoy/Astoria Greengrass - **Rated K** \- General

**Summary: **It was unusual for a soul mark to be the way Draco's was; unidentifiable. He wondered if it was defective until he found the person who bore his mark. - — Soul Mark!AU

**Warnings: **N/A

**Word Count:** 536

**Originally Written: **August 2019

* * *

**Chapter 26: **Behave - Tracey Davis/Daphne Greengrass - **Rated T** \- General

**Summary: **Tracey just wanted to be themself, unchained and unashamed. Daphne was the only one who could help set them free.

**Warning Tag: **Child Abuse; Misogyny; Agenderphobic

**Word Count: **493

**Originally Written: **August 2019

* * *

**Chapter 27: **Buried in the Deep - Charlie Weasley - **Rated K+** \- Humor

**Summary: **Charlie wanted to explore his father's shed. Little did he know what lurked within.

**Warning Tag: **Furby Nightmares

**Word Count: **439

**Originally Written: **June 2018


	2. Shooting Stars

**Summary: **During an Astronomy assignment, Draco yearns to confess his feelings to the brightest witch of their age, but stargazing will have to do. - — 8th Year Hogwarts.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **Angst, Hurt/Comfort

**Tag:** Pining/Longing

* * *

**Shooting Stars**

The school grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been blanketed with the midnight blue starry sky for several hours now, and it was a great time for the first Astronomy lesson of the year.

Despite his namesake, Draco Malfoy loathed this class. It was just _too_ easy; having at least ten generations of the Ancient House of Black family name origins and meanings drilled into his skull from a young age played a large part in it. The barely contained panic he felt crawl throughout his body when he walked up the steep, winding stairs to attend the class was not pleasant, either.

The blond kept to himself during the lecture and instruction and finished his chart with an agonizing amount of time left. Leaning against one of the metal railings, Draco killed time by gazing at the galaxies above.

Seeing a streak of light shoot across the darkness, a silent wish was made.

The hand that nudged at his arm had Draco all but jump out of his skin. Turning around to send a few choice words at the incompetent classmate, he choked back the nasty comment when he saw a mass of frizzy brown hair and light brown skin.

Wish answered.

Hermione Granger looked apologetic for startling him. Grey eyes wandered over the other students before looking back at her. His heart raced, wondering the reason why she was there.

"Professor Sinistra offered extra credit if we could find the student who had the chart that connected with another's," she explained. "Do you mind if I take a look at yours?"

Not sure how to respond, Draco simply shrugged and handed her his star map. Folding his arms over his chest, he skimmed over hers to distract himself from admiring her scrutinizing the charts, wondering if he should finally tell her something he had held onto for a long time. Before those words could form, he noticed a mistake and kneeled down beside the brightest witch of their age.

"You named these two stars wrong," Draco pointed out, keeping poised. "Eltanin is this one, and Edasich is here."

Hermione glanced over while he explained, shaking her head in disagreement. "No, I'm pretty sure they're correct."

"I think I would know the names of the stars from my namesake," he retorted; sounding sharper than intended.

The witch sent a look his way before peering over at his star chart. Draco noticed a simple ring perched on the hand she traced with and felt a heaviness in his chest and a lump form in his throat. It was too late.

"Looks like ours match, I got the tail," Draco noted, trailing a finger down the tail of the dragon constellation on his chart, then across hers that connected. "And here's the head."

She placed a finger over Ursa Minor on her chart, carefully matching the part of it on his. A quiet laugh escaped her, its sound slightly eased the ache in his chest. She pulled her wand from her pocket to quickly change the names around.

"Quite the coincidence, isn't it?" Hermione observed, looking to Draco.

He met her gaze, a smirk creeping over his lips. "It is. I had the honor to correct the brightest witch of our age."

The witch rolled her eyes, but the smile that lit up her honey brown eyes said she found the jab amusing. "Don't get used to it."

Looking to the sky once more, Hermione scanned the heavens. "It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?"

Draco looked from her to the sky in time to see another shooting star fly by. He wondered if she saw it as well when his eyes rested back over to her.

"Yes, it is a breathtaking view."

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

**The Harry Potter Fanfiction Competition**

**Word Count: **(Per Google Docs) 624

**Originally Written:** October 2017


	3. You Can't Be Sirius?

**Summary: **Draco analyzes his relation to the muggle mass murderer; Sirius Black. - — Set in 1993/1994 School Year.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **Drama, Family

**Warning Tag:** Mentions of mental instability in a poor light.

* * *

**You Can't be Sirius?**

_31st of October, 1993_

The Halloween Feast was coming to a close. Draco departed the Great Hall early and headed for the library to find some peace and quiet to finish an essay before curfew. Unfortunately for the blond, a quiet evening was not in store for him. As soon as he pulled open the library doors, Madam Irma Pince announced to the few students scattered about to return to the Great Hall immediately.

A pair of Gryffindor girls breezed through the door Draco still held open, and before any other peers took advantage of the false courtesy, he released the handle and followed the nauseating colors of gold and red, not intending to keep pace with the two.

"It's about Sirius Black, I bet," the black-haired girl stated. "He has it in for Harry Potter."

Draco couldn't help but overhear the gossip and rolled his eyes at the mention of his nemesis. _Everything_ was about bloody Saint Potter.

"But why would he want to attack Potter? If he was a Gryffindor, why can't he just try and do in one of the Slytherins instead?" the brunette asked her friend.

"Lavender, he _murdered _twelve muggles! He was a follower of You-Know-Who. Gryffindors can go bad, too," the raven-haired girl half-whispered. "Besides, why would he escape from Azkaban to snuff out a potential new recruit for—"

The girl abruptly stopped speaking when Draco quickly brushed past them; he couldn't handle the drama any longer. The pair watched him carefully, slowing their pace to avoid the boy's presence. As he turned the corner, he heard them resume the conversation as if he'd never interrupted them.

Draco sought out the Slytherins that huddled in the far corner of the now cleared Great Hall. As he approached, he looked to Theo for an explanation.

"What's going on now?" he demanded.

"Sirius Black attempted to break into the Gryffindor Common Room. Slashed up the portrait good in the process," Theo recited, already bored with the incident that had unfolded. "Naturally, the castle is in an uproar, so all the students were ordered to come here while they search the grounds."

"Oi, Malfoy, isn't he a relative of yours?" Crabbe asked a little too loudly for Draco's taste.

He gave the stocky boy a hard smack on the arm. Sometimes the git was too smart at the dumbest of times. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Of course, the blond was well versed in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black family tree; his own mother is a part of that bloodline after all. Draco knew of a few ancestors that bore the name Sirius Black, but when it came to his mother's cousin—and her middle sister—he knew next to nothing about them. All that mattered was that they both were blood traitors, so no further exploring of them was required.

"Don't get worked up over it, mate. You might cause a scene," Theo joked, a smirk playing his lips.

It was met with a stern glare and a threatening hiss from Draco as he scanned the area around him to make sure their conversation wasn't overheard. "Quit bringing it up!"

Since the loose relation was mentioned, Draco now couldn't help but think about it. If Sirius was a blood traitor, why would he join the Dark Lord and slaughter muggles?

Maybe the Black bloodline had some kind of psyche problem; knowing so much about his aunt Bellatrix would normally be enough proof for him. Unfortunately, it still didn't add up; his mother was far from insane, she was quite the opposite, actually. _He_ wasn't insane, so that evidence was surely flawed.

The conversation between the girls came back to him and Draco started to feel a little worried; a deranged relative of his was roaming the castle, clearly confused about where his loyalty lay. What if Sirius learned he was Narcissa's son and wanted a go at him for whatever reason, too?

Draco paled at the thought and quickly climbed into one of the overly fluffy sleeping bags the Headmaster produced for everyone to sleep in. Its cushiony walls didn't offer him the comfort he sought, and he wished he could go back to the Slytherin Common Room where he would feel much safer behind the thick stone walls.

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition **

**Harry Potter Fanfiction Competition Forum**

**Word Count:** 716

**Originally Written: **November 2017


	4. My Sweet Prince

**Author's Note: **This is a darker piece I picked up after listening to a song sharing the same name one too many times. It shows a person spiraling into a deep depression to the point where drugs are used to numb them. I do not find this method appropriate or healthy in any way at all, but I also know that it is a common problem a lot of people cope with every day of their lives. Addiction is one of the worst sicknesses out there that is often used as a means to comfort other ailments, and often becomes a vicious cycle.

* * *

**Summary: **How can one cope without the euphoric emptiness that can take away the pain from loss? Post-Hogwarts. First Person.

**Rated T:** Mentions of Death, Mourning, Depression, Drug Abuse/Addiction, Forced Admission into a Rehabilitation Hospital Center, Drug Withdrawals/Recovery

**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Tragedy

* * *

**My Sweet Prince**

This disaster was never meant to happen. The obituary of my late husband laid beside me. I stared at the ceiling in a near-comatose state while my hand caressed the paper image of him. My body felt cool, doused in a light haze of sweat from anticipation. A stinging bite flooded through my veins from a fresh hit, I discarded the needle recklessly nearby. I soon felt myself fade into the numbing, euphoric state that swept all the pain and suffering away.

My precious Dragon appeared at some point beside me. He appeared distressed and wanted to help me stop hurting myself. I lifted a bony hand to touch the smooth skin on his cheek, wishing to offer comfort and tell him I am okay, but my muttering fell on deaf ears. He pulled a sheet over me to offer some modesty, but I didn't care. I simply stared at the sweet, gentle prince that I could still call mine and wished he would cuddle beside me as he had done so many years before.

My mind lapsed into a haze, and soon the room became blinding with light. Rhythmic beeping pierced at my hearing and I flinched, gritting my teeth with agitation. A heaviness resembling lead filled my head, an IV was embedded in my heavily tracked up arm. I hated the state I was in. I needed more. My sweet prince was at my side once my alertness was noticed. He claimed to have brought someone to fix me properly, but I never asked to be fixed. I just want to stop feeling the ache.

The withdrawal was worse than the pain and the hurt. I screamed profanities and lashed out at my prince; he was the giver and now he was the taker. I hated him for it. I missed my love. I cried so much, his name a curse on my lips as the ache throbbed with each beat of my heart. Why did he have to die such a tragic death and leave us so alone? I loved the fool too much, and now that love was tearing me apart.

This disaster slowly subsided. My body felt empty, my body felt numb. I curled up on the bed waiting, but death never came. Soon a hand was held before me, and my precious Draco looked upon me with hurting eyes. It crushed me further to know my coping caused him a different suffering, and I was ashamed to hear him call me Mother. I took his hand with tears in my eyes and I hugged him as close as he could be to me. My body shook from a heavy, sorrowful sob in apology. I knew that the pain would always remain, but we would still have each other.

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**The Houses Competition**

**Word Count: **464

**Originally Written: **February 2018


	5. Wedding Planner

**Competition/Challenge Block:**  
**Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Team:** Ravenclaw (Hogwarts)  
**Role/Position****:** Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 (Assignment 5)  
**Subject (Task):** Wandlore (Task 4: Write about someone being forceful about something.)

**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IPC: [08] (Word: Fight); 365: [228] (Opinion)  
**Other MC4A Challenges: **Spring Bingo 5E (Pink); Link Maker (Same Bingo Card)  
**Representation:** Determined Narcissa; Creative Narcissa; Wedding Planning  
**Bonus Challenges:** Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; White Dress)  
**Shipping War: **Icicles - N/A (Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Malfoy)

* * *

**Summary: **Narcissa wants to make sure Draco has some say in his wedding. Lucius knows she is doing it out of spite. They both are still not fond of Astoria.

**Rated:** K

**Genre: **Family

**Warning** **Tag:** Implied/Referenced Xenophobia

* * *

**Wedding Planner**

It didn't matter what Lucius or Narcissa thought about Draco's bride-to-be anymore, the young couple made that perfectly clear to them, but Narcissa wasn't going to allow this bump in the road tarnish the wedding she knew her son deserved. Narcissa had good tastes when it came to themes and decorating, and Draco valued her opinion on almost everything already, so wedging herself into the party planning group Astoria had formed was somewhat easy.

Narcissa remembered how annoyed she was when her own mother butted into her wedding plans all those years ago. This was different, though. She had a son, and more often then not, men let the bride take control of everything when it came to wedding planning. Not this time, she simply wouldn't allow it. Draco deserved to have his fair say in things, and Narcissa would make sure that his wishes would be honored just as much as hers.

Unfortunately for her, planning her son's wedding was going to be more difficult than she predicted. Astoria had a lot of firm opinions on it already from the color choices, to the flower arrangements, music, and even dinner options. The pink swatch for the tablecloths was ghastly, even for a spring theme. There was a heavy infusion of Greek and Chinese culture that Narcissa couldn't make heads or tails of, and when she brought it up with Draco, he simply shrugged it off.

It infuriated her.

She climbed into bed that night with a cold expression, opening the planner given to her that morning, determined to put her own touch on something. Lucius eyed her carefully over his own reading material and chuckled.

"Haven't given up yet?"

Narcissa didn't look his way. "Of course not. Draco deserves someone to fight for him on this."

"You're going to be insufferable throughout this, aren't you?" Lucius asked, placing his book on the end table.

"All signs point to it, don't you think?" she muttered, already head deep in the planner.

Lucius knew to not bother her further once her mind was made up. All he can do is stay out of her way and quietly help where he could in the background.

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count:** 363

**Originally Written:** March 2020


	6. Enraged

**Competition/Challenge Block:****  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)**  
House/Team:** Ravenclaw (Hogwarts)  
**Role/Position**: Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 6  
**Subject (Task):** Task #11 - Orange Rose: (Passion) Write about someone debating over/arguing about a subject they're passionate over.  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IPC: [07] ([Word] Endanger); 365: [142] (Home)

**Other MC4A Challenges: **Spring Bingo 2B (Rain/Drizzle); Shipping War (Icicles); Link Maker  
**Representation:** Protective Narcissa Malfoy  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: **Pear-Shaped; Not a Lamp; Ladylike; Persistence Still

**Word Count:** 479 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**Summary: **When Narcissa learned what that little black diary had done by Lucius' hand with no regard to the risk of their son, she became the serpent to fear.

**Rated: **T

**Genre:** Family

* * *

**Enraged**

Narcissa was outraged, for a lack of a better term, as she listened to the headmaster's subtle accusations about the black diary he held in his hand. It took all her composure to keep her from snapping right then at there at Lucius from how reckless he had become. Instead, she excused herself the second it was appropriate, storming from the office down the dungeons to visit her son before heading for home.

She waited in the sitting room, pacing the floor in front of the low-burning fire that mimicked the rage within her, waiting for Lucius to come through the floo. Even the calming droplets of the early summer drizzle hitting the window offered no comfort like it tended to do for her. Not this time.

Lucius finally stepped through, appearing angry about something Narcissa did not care about. She knew it wasn't for the same reason.

"How dare you!" she spat, blue eyes fiery with anger. "How dare you endanger _our own son_!"

Lucius was taken aback by her fury, but his own silver eyes hardened in retaliation. "Draco was in no danger with the beast."

"How do you know?" Narcissa hissed, growing even more angry by the dismissal.

"Were you not listening? It only targeted mudbloods."

Lucius attempted to leave the sitting room, but Narcissa cut in front of him.

"You have no _idea_ what you unleashed in that school! It could've targeted anyone it pleased. Anyone who might've come across it," she argued back. "If Draco would've wound up petrified… or… or _worse,_ it would have been entirely your fault, and for what?!"

"Stop being ridiculous," Lucius said, waving his hand dismissively.

He proceeded to try to move past her, having her turn on her heel to face his retreating back. "I hate you so much right now."

"Why?" he asked, making a half-turn to address his wife. "Because I was doing the Dark Lords will?"

Narcissa's eyes narrowed, disgusted by the title. "Because you put our son in jeopardy! You did this out of spite."

"I did it for us, Narccisa. To rid the world of the dirty blood traipsing around where it does not belong. Haven't you forgotten that?" Lucius accused.

She swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears. "You told me when _he _was vanquished that your family would always come first. But it seems you have forgotten where your loyalty lies."

Narcissa stormed by him, giving his arm a rough shove as she passed by. She didn't know what to do with this lack of accountability on Lucius' part. He put their son in extreme danger without knowing an ounce of what that monster in the sewers was capable of. It gave her a lot to think about, and a lot of difficult decisions she would have to make very soon. This wasn't something that could be forgiven. Not this time.


	7. Bad Blood

**Summary**: Teaching the young students of Hogwarts about Muggles was exactly the position Alecto Carrow was eager to teach. 1997/1998 School Year.

**Rated: **T

**Genre:** General

**Warning Tag:** Descriptions of torture, murder, and persecution of the accused mentioned. Wizard alternative slurs used.

* * *

**Bad Blood**

"Muggles are nothing but filth staining this Earth," Alecto Carrow hissed out to the impressionable young minds before her, "and the Mudblood spawn that they create by stealing our gift of magic further proves that they are nothing more than desperate wild animals attempting to infiltrate and water down our ancient heritage of magic just so they can feel _special_."

The room was dead quiet. The young first years were unsure of what to make of the information given to them. Some knew better by now to not question Alecto's teaching. Despite the fact that most of the students were half-bloods, the punishments were brutal, and it was best to sit in silence.

Alecto scanned the room before placing an enlarged image up on the wall behind her. It was a disturbing image of several women tied to poles while fire consumed them. Several male bystanders stood and watched as if it were a sport.

"This is what these wretched creatures do to us. They torture and burn us to our _deaths._"

She placed another image up. This one had several women being hung by their necks, and another image showed a woman tied to a strange device by the ankles and wrists being pulled from both ends by horses. A few students sucked in gasps while others wiped watering eyes at the horrid pictures. Alecto had a cruel smile creep across her face at the reactions.

"This is how they steal our magic, by _murdering _our kind in cold blood, siphoning our magic from our bodies, and taking our wands for themselves," Alecto spat.

A student near the back had the nerve to raise his hand. Her sharp eyes landed right on him. The boy faltered, reconsidering the action.

"_What?"_

"Wh-why are they all women?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly moved down the aisle toward the boy. "You think that just because it only depicts women that it wouldn't happen to your father? Brother? _You?_"

The boy whimpered as Alecto loomed over him with her slightly taller, stockier stature. "These filthy creatures do not care who they steal from so long as they get what we rightfully possess. Do you understand me?"

He quickly nodded, prompting her to walk back to the front of the class. "Your homework is to write twenty-four inches of parchment about all the forms of torture our ancestors had to endure before we were forced to go into hiding and why."

Rounding on the classroom, Alecto placed her hands on her desk. "You all are lucky to not have to conceal your superior gift from the filth any longer thanks to our Dark Lord."

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**The Houses Competitions**

**Word Count: **(Per Google Docs) 443

**Originally Written: **March 2018


	8. Fyre Lesson

**Summary:** Teaching students the darkest of spells is a specialty to Amycus. 1997/1998 School Year.

**Rated:** T

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **N/A

* * *

**Fyre Lesson**

Amycus Carrow marched down the narrow aisle between the desks that barely cleared his torso in height. Once he reached the front of the classroom, the stocky wizard turned swiftly to face the seventh year students sitting before him. The room was deathly quiet, knowing it was the best method to stay out of trouble, yet very few made an effort to hide their fear behind stoic masks as they gave their professor their undivided attention.

Amycus gave them a crooked grin for their obedience.

"For today's lesson on the Dark Arts, I will demonstrate one of my personal favourite spells," he said.

He shifted to stand beside the table, where a large glass bottle, a piece of cloth, and a cork was laid out. Amycus grabbed the cloth and bottle. "Unfortunately all fire requires a fuel source. Ever-Burning Cloth works quite well."

The cloth fell into the bottle with ease, Amycus then placed the tip of his wand just inside of the bottle's neck. "Behold."

With an utter under his breath and quick movement and flick of his wand, fire slowly seeped from his wand and into the enchanted bottle. The flames twirled inside its cage a moment before Amycus ceased it's summoning and watched as a fiery snake formed inside. The creature let out a flaming hiss, circling the cloth before striking it. Had it been a real snake, the students would be witnessing the creature swallow the cloth, but instead its red-flamed body was fueled by it as it coiled around the life source.

The snake turned its flame-like head toward the exit then, sensing an escape. It hissed menacingly before striking at the bottle's neck. Amycus quickly corked the opening enough to contain the fiery beast, but enough to still allow air.

"Fiendfyre," he said, stroking the enchanted bottle delicately before looking back at his students. "It's a tricky spell to learn and control, yet it is a useful tool to unleash on the pathetic filth's homes and towns. Its cleansing strength is highly desirable. You will know if you are facing Fiendfyre by its ability to take the form of an animal like this one has."

Amycus pressed the cork further into the bottle, locking out all airflow to the near-molten snake inside. He knew the creature was attempting to generate more heat with the Ever-Burning Cloth in order to escape. The threatening hiss and attack from the snake were ineffective to the charmed items. "This fire is nearly impossible to distinguish once it gets ahold of a fuel source, though as it always needs a fuel source to continuously burn, if you cut off its air…"

The snake tried to attack the cork again, desperate to regain its airflow. The flames that licked over its back dulled, the embers that formed in its belly and around the cloth darkened to a deep red as the flames started to disperse from the coiling body. The students watched in silence as the sentient fire-snake slowly suffocated and simmered out before their eyes.

"As all fire lives and burns with those two energy sources, Fiendfyre behaves the same. Snuff out one, it will surely die out," Amycus explained, gesturing to the bottle with the slightly singed cloth only remaining behind.

The Slytherin students that sat in the front row were particularly interested in today's lesson, and two perked up and leaned forward with genuine interest. Amycus felt the corner of his lip twitch with delight.

"Now, who would like to practice first?"

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Word Count: **585

**Originally Written:** April 2019


	9. Meddling Myrtle

**Summary: **Myrtle really liked this boy who visited her all the time, but her curiosity got the best of her.

**Rated: **K+

**Genre:** General

**Warning Tag: **Implied Mention of Murder

* * *

Myrtle grew quite fond of the blond Slytherin boy despite her bad experience with Slytherin students back in her time. His visits to her bathroom seemed to grow longer each time, and even though he didn't talk to her that much, he also didn't seem to mind her company and idle chatter in exchange. She liked to know it helped him with whatever it was that was bothering him, but Myrtle knew first-hand how it felt to be bullied, and he seemed to be experiencing just that by his withdrawn behavior.

It got to the point where Myrtle grew curious about what he did outside of her bathroom, and like any ghost would do when wanting to follow someone, she would become non-corporal and roam out from her home to follow the boy. She didn't like to leave often, but she wanted to know who was the one causing him such grief since he refused to talk about it. Maybe she could do something back it.

Draco tended to wander a lot, constantly looking over his shoulder at every turn. Myrtle kept hidden, watching him through the walls or ceiling. Eventually, she found herself slipping through a door that appeared from nowhere. He had entered and she quickly followed, not familiar with the room that she entered. Distracted by the countless things littered about haphazardly, a warped thought crossed her mind to knock one of the large piles over to help end his misery but shook it off. That wouldn't be very kind. After all, she loathed the one who stole her own life away, she couldn't do it to someone else.

She settled down nearby where Draco finally stopped weaving through the junk. Myrtle watched him closely as he tinkered with a cabinet for what felt like ages before he placed a bird inside of it and closed the door. The chirping song it resonated from within was troubled, but she found it oddly pleasing anyway despite the distress. But it was gone just as quick, piquing Myrtle's curiosity as to what happened. When Draco opened the cabinet, there was nothing, but when he uttered a spell and opened it again, there was the white bird he had placed inside, lifeless and unmoving. Myrtle couldn't help but let out a gasp, alerting him to her presence. She made herself visible and billowed down next to the very startled boy who was looking every which way for the culprit.

He didn't look very happy to see her.

Myrtle peered inside the cabinet again, blinking a few times before looking over at him.

"Well, that didn't go according to plan, did it?" she asked, not even sure what Draco was trying to do, to begin with.

He swore under his breath and slammed the cabinet shut. "You cannot tell _anyone_ about this."

She pressed her fingers to the corner of her mouth and slid them across them before kissing her fingertips and fluttering them away from her like a butterfly. Draco's hard stare did not falter.

"Your secrets are always safe with me, Draco."

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **513

**Originally Written: **April 2020


	10. Reindeer Games

**Summary: **Lavender and Padma were running late to the quidditch game. The blizzard didn't help.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **Genera;

**Warning Tag: **N/A

* * *

**Reindeer Games**

The first quidditch match of the season had to have a freak blizzard align with it. Lavender made sure to securely bundle herself up and utilize her House scarf to protect her face as she stepped out into the snow with her gloved hand in Padma's. She donned a similar outfit but of blue and bronze, contrasting well with the Gryffindor's bolder colors.

"We're going to be late and there won't be any good spots left!" Padma complained before pulling her scarf over her face.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't find my scarf and gloves," Lavender said, squeezing her hand in apology.

The pair trudged through the sheet of snow aggressively blowing around them in whirlwinds to the Pitch. It was Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor today, the first match of the season, and Lavender always enjoyed watching the matches. Padma not so much, but she liked to spend time with her girlfriend so it was worth freezing her face off to be a part of something Lavender enjoyed. Padma did the same, of course. Lavender's enthusiasm was contagious, and it was one of the many things Padma loved about her.

"I offered you my spares," Padma said, smirking behind her scarf. "Ravenclaw's going to win, you know."

Lavender laughed at the gentle taunt. The Pitch was barely visible now, so the pair picked up the pace.

"We will see, the reindeer games haven't even started yet!"

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **234

**Originally Written:** April 2020


	11. Raspberry Tea Leaves

**Summary: **Tonks has her off days, but she tries to bite the bullet and deal with it.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **References to Menstruation

* * *

**Raspberry Tea Leaves**

Tonks wasn't feeling particularly perky today as she entered Grimmauld's dining room for the Order meeting. Tucking herself into the far corner of the table, she flopped down heavily on the cushioned chair and rested her head on her arms folded on top of the table. She hoped that it was a quick one, she just came off a ten-hour shift at the office tailing suspects in Knockturn Alley. Her body was screaming in protest from her morphing disguises, and it decided to be extra evil that night and plague her with the worst cramps ever as revenge.

She wished she changed into her favourite sweats and oversized jumper at the office before coming here, at least she could be relatively comfortable while her body started to tear itself apart from the inside.

The gentle tap of a mug being placed next to her had her lift her head to meet the haggard-looking man gently smiling at her. He looked just as tired and beat up as she felt.

"Thanks," Tonks said, curling her hand around the mug and taking in its aroma.

The smell of raspberries, citrus, and mint calmed her almost immediately, and she took gracious sips as the meeting progressed.

**.oOo.**

As she got to know Remus—Tonks only mentally knew him as the tea man for the last several weeks until they officially exchanged names one evening when everyone else was running late—she started to notice some odd things about him. Like his seemingly acute knowledge of what tea's blends helped her symptoms at odd times, or how he occasionally looked like he hadn't slept for a week during certain parts of the month. It wasn't like she was the sort that got moody during her cycles or gave of any signals of being on it. She mostly kept to herself when she was feeling under the weather in general, but he always seemed to _know._

Tonks wasn't sure if she found this strange or not, but she certainly wasn't going to stop accepting that delicious raspberry tea blend he offered her when she was conveniently on her period. If only she could figure out what he used, she'd love to have a stockpile of the stuff on hand for her really bad months.

**.oOo.**

A few months had passed and Tonks couldn't help but pick up on the strangeness emitting from Remus as she spent more and more time around him. Nothing terrible, but she couldn't ignore his silent gesture of offering that delicious damn tea that soothed the raging hormones and side-splitting pains she silently suffered through. It was what she did with these insufferable emergency meetings that interrupted her nights of curling up with a pillow in her comfy clothes during the worst of her monthly cycles anymore.

She was tired and feeling a smidgen more irritable tonight. Probably because she needed some sleep, it had been a while since she did that. Tonks laid her head down on the hard table at the far end, and on queue, Remus was there with that large mug of fresh raspberry tea.

"Can I ask you something?" she blurted while cupping the mug in her hands. "Why do you make me this particular tea? Other times it is jet black coffee, but sometimes it is this."

Remus gave a slight shrug. "Not everyone's moon cycle is the same."

Tonks gave him a strange look. "Okay, but how do you know...?"

She saw his cheeks tinge ever so slightly before he turned away to fix his own cup at the counter. It suddenly dawned on her as to what he meant. He didn't behave like how she was trained to detect werewolves out on the field, which made her doubt that shoddy training even more now. "Never mind."

Other Order members started to trickle in by then, and the minor embarrassment of him knowing about her cycles didn't last long as she sipped at the raspberry tea. When he sat down across from her, she offered him a thankful smile and a secretive wink. Grateful that he was kind enough to silently help ease her menstrual discomforts without making it obvious, but now it was like they both were in on a silly little secret.

* * *

_Originally written for:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **706

**Originally Written: **August 2019


	12. Beachside Admiration

**Competition/Challenge Block:**  
**Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3); Quidditch League  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts); Judge (Quidditch)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12- Assignment 8  
**Subject (Task):** Geology Task 7 (Alt: Write about a wizard participating in a popular muggle activity.)  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IPC: [831] (Setting - Beach); 365: [339.] (Volunteer); Writing Club; Pinata; Say It With Flowers; Fortnightly; FFWM; Dragon Breeding

**Other MC4A Challenges:** Spring Bingo 1C (Blossom/Flower); Chimera Creator; Link Maker; Shipping War; Scavenger Hunt  
**Representation:** Black Lavender Brown; Beach Fun; Soul Marks; Background Soulmate Boom Boys; Soulmate Divine Flower  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:** Second Verse (Not a Lamp); Chorus (Odd Feathers) Demo (Clio's Conclusion; Triton's Domain; Easy Zypher) Demo (Creature Feature; Some Beach)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:** N/A

**Word Count:** 414 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**Summary: **Beaches were a great way to get a breath of fresh air and admiring the scenery.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **N/A

* * *

**Beachside Admiration**

Lavender wiped the excess sunscreen over the dark skin of her arm after applying the protective cream to Seamus' ridiculously pale back. "That should do it, Seamus."

"Thanks, Lav," he said, carefully getting to his feet so he wouldn't disturb the large beach towel draped under her chaise lounger too much as he stepped off.

She nodded before adjusting the stylish oversized beach hat plopped on top of her curly head, watching through bug-eyed sunglasses as Seamus trotted off to the volleyball net nearby, kicking up the soft sand as he padded through the small dunes. She watched as he gave Dean a clasped arm chest bump before taking position on the court, their fiery flame marks glowing brightly at the contact. Lavender always thought they were so cute together, but soon her eyes drifted over to the Patil twins on the other side of the court the boys were playing against. A light sigh was released from her as she readjusted some to be comfortable while watching them play instead of the gentle ocean waters dancing over the sand directly in front of her. She always did admire how sporty Paravti was even though it wasn't really Lavender's cup of tea, she did enjoy watching games at least. Seeing the other witch wearing a beautiful one-piece swimsuit that rivaled the ocean's own blue shade really made her pop in the sandy backdrop.

"Hey, Lav! Be our volunteer referee n' scorekeeper will ya?" Seamus' voice boomed over the peaceful white noise of the saltwater breeze and she offered a lazy thumbs up as the wind ruffled her flower-shaped umbrella overhead.

Lavender wasn't the best at keeping score, spending more time laughing at Dean face diving into the sand in an attempt to save the ball only to get up coughing out a mouth full of sand in the failed maneuver, or when Padma tripped over Parvati and they collapsed in a tangled mess as the ball landed in front of them. Soon the game was over in a tie and the four went on a leisure walk on the beach. Seamus, Dean, and Padma walked a little ahead while Lavender hung back with Parvati discussing the types of seashells and allowing the ocean foam to tickle their ankles. Lavender risked slipping her hand in hers, and it was quietly received with a soft smile and a returned squeeze by Parvati.

The petals on their wrists blossomed unbeknownst to them in this shared little moment.


	13. Reliving the Moment

**Summary: **After seeing students practicing quidditch in the distance, Minerva wanted to feel the wind on her face again.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **General

**Author's Note: **I was told by Liza that the task assignment would be accepted if I wrote a character trying to feel younger rather than look it.

* * *

**Competition/Challenge Block:**  
**Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 8  
**Subject (Task):** Geology Task 11: (Write about someone trying to look younger.)  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IPC: [169] (Action - Flying a Broomstick); 365: [280] (Scenery); Fortnightly; Writing Club; Quarterly; Seasonal; Funfair; Pinata; Writing Month; Dragon Breeding

**Other MC4A Challenges:** FPC; Star; T3; SF; Link Maker; Chimera Creator (Yelling/Shouting); Scavenger Hunt (Castle); Sp Bingo (A5 - Yellow)  
**Representation:** Minerva McGonagall; Old Injury; Testing Limits  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:** Bee Haven; Second Verse (Not a Lamp; Ladylike; Persistence Still; White Dress) Chorus (Pear-Shaped)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:** T3 (Terse; Thimble)

**Word Count:** 722 words

* * *

**Reliving the Moment**

Minerva finished her evening classroom and weekly assignment preps for the following week quicker than usual. Not having to oversee any detentions for a change really helped with that accomplishment. She looked out her office window to see that it was only dusk, the evening sun painting its vibrant oranges across the sky, sparkling over the dark waters of the Black Lake as it swallowed the bright orb. The quidditch pitch was a black blob among the scenery, and if Minverva looked close enough, she could see the faint figures flying around within it. A House team practicing for their match tomorrow, possibly, but it oddly reminded her of her own quidditch days in her youth.

Getting up from her desk, she moved over to a built-in closet and opened it, revealing an older model racing broom resting on its stand. Aside from a little cleaning and the dent in the handle that had the splinters buffed out, resanded, and stained by her own hand, it was otherwise in impeccable condition despite the impact the bludger made to it that caused her terrible accident.

She grabbed the broom and pulled it from its sleeping place, feeling nostalgic now as she turned her gaze back to the pitch. The yearning to fly again stirred in her chest, and in the moment Minerva decided that taking a short flight around the grounds wouldn't kill her even in her old age.

Reaching the castles large doors with sunlight to spare, Minerva trekked down to the bank of the Black Lake to a student-free zone where the soil was a bit more squishy and swamp-like. Minerva mounted her broom, uncaring of the now-dirty hems of her robes from the mud as she kicked off into the air. Though she never needed a cane for her leg injury sustained all those years go, the position needed to sustain proper balance had her right knee protest loudly as she forced it to lock in place.

Ignoring the jolt of pain her knee gave off in protest, Minerva leaned forward and shot over the Black Lake like a bullet. Squinting against the fading sun, she turned sharply upward and toward the Forbidden Forest now, glancing down to see the flap of a thestrals wings in a small clearing before she weaved her way back toward the lake. The train station flashed by her, and though her leg was now starting to numb, Minerva closed her eyes to take in the feeling of the wind being forward to move around her as she flew.

The backside of her broom started to wobble then, snapping her attention back to the present, Minerva leaned upward to slow down and started to descend in a circular motion toward the pitch. Touching ground, she finally let out the breath she held since she nearly lost control. Minerva leaned down to massage her knee, attempting to wake it from its numbed state before she tried walking.

She didn't know she had an audience, however, until the sounds of clapping were heard nearby. She turned to face Madam Hooch standing beside Oliver Wood, both were clapping enthusiastically. Smiling, Minerva risked a step toward them, feeling confident she wasn't going to collapse, and approached.

"That is some brillant flying, professor," Oliver said, a wide grin on his face.

"Thank you, Mr. Wood," she said with a nod.

"You still got your chaser skill, that's for certain," Madam Hooch added, smiling knowingly. "It is good to see you in the air again, Minerva."

"It was good to feel the wind whipping by again," Minerva said, a small smile forming her lips.


	14. Be Still, Baby Mine

**Summary: **Tonks wanted to show off Teddy to the one person who never got to meet him.

**Genre: **Family

**Rated: **K

**Warning Tag: **N/A

* * *

**Competition/Challenge Block:  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 9  
**Subject (Task):** Journalism Task 2 (Write about who doesn't care about sparing another's feelings (ex. Being brutally honest).  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IHC: 756. [AU] Afterlife; 365: [164 - Innocent]; Pinata; Quarterly; Seasonal; Fortnightly; Funfair; Writing Club; Writing Month; Dragon Breeding

**Other MC4A Challenges: **FPC; Star; SF; Link Maker; Chimera Creator; Scavenger Hunt; Sp Bingo (3C - Frog/Tadpole)  
**Representation: **Nymphadora Tonks; Teddy Lupin; Mother & Child; Afterlife!AU  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: **Second Verse (Not a Lamp)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: **N/A

**Word Count:** 530 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**Be Still, Baby Mine**

Tonk had been watching Teddy sleep for the entire two-hour nap. She couldn't get over how peaceful and innocent his face was while he slumbered, and she found herself reaching for him before abruptly stopping herself. Teddy stirred some, and Tonks held her breath as he shifted in the mint-green frog onesie that matched the striped sheet underneath him. The tuft of cyan blue hair resting on his head was a nice contrast against it. When he started to blink his hazel eyes open, moving a jery arm toward his face to rub his hand over his face.

Tonks moved toward the door and whisper-shouted down the hallway.

"Come here Papa! This way! I want to show you someone!" she waved her arm aggressively despite how fluid it seemed when her father's figure appeared at the far end of the dull-grey hall. "He's waking up! Come meet your grandson!"

Ted slowly followed his daughter's voice, Tonks had bounded back into the room then, waiting for her dad to appear in the brightly lit nursery before leading him to the bassinet. They both looked down at the tiny little infant who now had his eyes fully open and taking in the world. Little Teddy yawned widely before focusing intently at the ceiling. A small smile formed on his little face, letting out a gurgly squeak while his arms and legs became more animated.

"Hey, there cutie!" Tonks reached out to him but stalled as if something was preventing her from touching him.

"Oh, Dora honey. You didn't—"

Tonks cuts her father off. "It was the right thing to do, Papa. I knew Teddy was, and still is, in very good hands. His life will be full of love and more family than he could possibly handle. You know Mama and Harry will make sure of that no matter what."

Ted looked saddened as he looked from Tonks back to Teddy. He, too, tried to reach for the baby but was stopped. "He is beautiful."

Teddy continued to kick and wiggle up at the ceiling, making small coos and bubbles with the slobber now dribbling down his chin. The pair grew quiet, even when Remus slipped in beside Tonks, putting a hand around her waist and pulling her close.

"Do you think he can see us?" Remus questioned, realizing how happy and animated Teddy was despite there being nothing for him to really look at and see.

Tonks shifted her face into a duck and quaked, setting Teddy off into hysterical squeals. "I think so."

Remus did what both Tonks and Ted had tried and reached out to his son, only to be abruptly stopped by something.

"Be still, baby mine," Remus whispered, finding Teddy's excitement almost concerning for a one-month-old.

They stepped back when Andromeda entered the room, alerted to Teddy's noises. Ted watched his wife with those saddened eyes again, and Tonks shifted in Remus' arms to drape her own arms around her father.

"They will be okay now, Papa. We won."

The three watched as Andromeda picked Teddy up and disappeared from the room, leaving them in a cold, grey world once again.

Everything was indeed going to be alright.


	15. Throwdown: Round One

**Summary: **It was the first time the three were playing pro, and for two of them it would be their last.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **Drama

**Warning Tag: **References to Fighting; Sustaining Injury; Swearing

* * *

**Competition/Challenge Block:  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 9  
**Subject (Task):** Games & Sports Task 2 (Write about getting injured.)  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IHC: [196] (Action - Fighting); 365: [282 - Secret]; Fortnightly; Pinata; Seasonal; Quarterly; Funfair; Writing Club; Writing Month; Dragon Breeding

**Other MC4A Challenges:** FPC; SF; BAON; T3; Chimera Creator; Link Maker; Scavenger Hunt  
**Representation:** Alicia Spinnet; Angelina Johnson; Katie Bell; Pro Quidditch; Justified Fight; Sustained Injuries  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:** Nontraditional; Second Verse (Bechdel Test; Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistance Still) Chorus (Pear-Shaped; Pocky Pockets)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:** T3 (Terse; Thimble)

**Word Count:** 647 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**Throwdown: Round One**

It was no secret that Alicia was the hot-head in the three's relationship, but it always flared up for justifiable reasons and never spontaneously. Angelina and Katie did have to stop her from getting into a fight during Pride's tryouts so many months ago so they wouldn't get kicked out, but they got the positions as chasers in the end despite the minor hiccup.

The first match of the season would, unfortunately, be two of the girl's first and last time playing pro. They were playing against the Falmouth Falcons and they certainly lead up to their name.

The trio played their hardest, but when Alicia found herself dealing with more bludgers than the quaffle, Angelina and Katie just knew there was going to be trouble by the end of the game.

Falcons seeker caught the snitch. Pride lost by ten points.

Alicia was furious.

Katie spotted her touching ground seconds after the Falco's beater who had actively harassed Alicia with bludgers to the point of having her miss a crucial goal that could've tipped the scales for Pride. Katie locked eyes with Angelina and nodded her head toward the ground before starting her descent.

"_Hey! Who do you think you are, Knoppe!?"_

They were too late, Alicia was heard shouting aggressively at the broad-built man. He gave her shoulder a dismissive, yet rough shove to get her to back off, but Katie knew that was all Alicia needed was to see red.

Alicia's well-aimed right hook connected with a crack to the beater's jaw. The force of it sent the guy staggering backward, catching the rest of the Falcons team's attention. Katie and Angelina were on the ground now, getting to Alicia just in time for the beater to recover and send a harsh glare her way.

"You got your point across, Alicia. Backoff before things go south," Katie cautioned, grabbing Alicia by the arm and pulling her back. It was no good.

Alicia smirked despite herself, taunting the beater with a flick of her hand. "Back for more, huh?"

Angelina was a tad too slow in pulling Katie away once the fists (and bat) started flying and Alicia ducked out of the way, jabbing the beater in the side as she did so. Some of the Falcons shot off expletives, while others tried to wrangle in their now very irate beater. The rest of Pride got involved as well once the two really started going at it, having to yank Alicia off Noppe before the referees came in, whistles blowing loudly. The last handful of seconds were the longest in Katie and Angelina's lives as they finally got their wife pulled back and away enough, but not until Katie sustained a pretty nasty injury alongside Alicia's fresh cuts and bruises. Beater's clubs were not meant for hitting _people._

Their coach was not happy.

"Spinnet, Bell, you're fired!" he bellowed after them as they fled for the lockers. "I don't ever want to see your faces again!"

No one said a word until they were safely in the locker rooms. Alicia chucked her broom into a bench before throwing herself onto it.

"Well this has gone horribly wrong," Angelina said, helping Katie to a seat before inspecting the rapidly changing bruise on her shoulder. "It's definitely dislocated at best. I'll get a medic."

She turned to Alicia then, narrowing her eyes. "I thought you said your therapy was helping?"

"The prick bloody deserved it!" Alicia snapped, examining her knuckles. "Especially after he hit Katie with his bat. I mean, who the _fuck_ does that?"

"Knoppe, apparently," Katie muttered, flinching when she tried to shift. "Thanks for sticking up for me, 'Lish."

Angelina let out an audible breath, combing her hands through her braids while looking between her wives with reserved anger mixed with concern. "I'll get the medic. Stay still, both of you."


	16. This Crooked Castle

**Summary: **Hogwarts still stood tall, even when the earth shook and the rock beneath collapsed.

**Rated: **K

**Genre:** General

**Warning Tag:** N/A

* * *

**Competition/Challenge Block:  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 8  
**Subject (Task):** Geology Task 12 (Alt: Write about the aftermath of earthquake.)  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:**

**Other MC4A Challenges: **  
**Representation:**  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:**  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:**

**Word Count:** 365 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**This Crooked Castle**

The war might have been won, but the very foundation of Hogwarts had been shook to its core. The wrath of Voldemort left a violent scar upon the castle, its cliffs, and the very magic that still held her and her land together with all its might. Such magic was nothing anyone had ever seen before and often disregarded as legends and myths. Elemental magic did exist to an extent, yes, but the sheer power and will required to shake and split the Earth open caused more destruction and chaos that could not be contained in the remote reaches of Scotland.

Earthquakes rarely worked like that, especially in the mountains and not near an active zone. It certainly caused the country alarm at the unusually violent movement of the ground beneath them, even causing local towns some minor damage. The muggles will never know exactly what caused it or why, but the magical side would.

Once the world settled down, the survivors walked through the stone walls where several once called a second home in silence, too stunned and horrified at how offset half of the castle now was. The power of such an earthquake sunk the ground beneath it, and rebuilding would prove a challenge in order to make Hogwarts be properly and safely restored to her former glory.

Yet, no matter what spells the magical community came up with, shifting such a large structure and repairing the ground beneath it was near-impossible, and so the seam of the quake remained down the middle of the castle, patched up by countless witches and wizard's wandwork and skill, reinforced by the best binding and ground restoration spells, Hogwarts stood tall once more, safe from her near-collapse into the dark waters that rested below the cliffside

The crooked shape almost seemed to give her more character, a constant reminder of what Hogwarts had endured and survived. It was more than what some of the muggle homes that collapsed from the unexpected shockwaves rattling them loose, but the magical community helped their muggle neighbors where they could to right the mistake that came from their world.

Together, the country slowly started to heal.


	17. Anything For You

**Competition/Challenge Block:**  
**Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 9  
**Subject (Task):** Games & Sports Task 8 (Write about trying to spell/curse/etc an item).

**Word Count:** 675 words (per Google Docs)

* * *

**Summary: **Draco wanted to save Astoria, but not with dark magic.

**Rated: **K+

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of Blood Curses

**Word Count: **675

**Originally Written: **May 2020

* * *

**Anything For You**

Draco didn't know anything about family curses, much less bloodborne ones, but Astoria's words wouldn't stop racing through his head.

"_I love you, Draco. So much so that I cannot keep something about me from you any longer." _She bit her lip and her gaze had darted everywhere before meeting his. "_My family is plagued with an ancient blood curse. What that means to you could change things, and if it does, I'll understand."_

It was a surprise, that was certain. She worked so hard to pull him out of his self-loathing and got him to stop pushing her away only to turn around and say that. It wasn't something he ever expected from anyone, and the lack of knowing what it meant scared him. So, he did what any resourceful person would do in this situation, he researched it.

The Malfoys documented everything the family was involved in throughout the centuries and preserved it all in the endless shelves of the library, so naturally it was the first place Draco looked in order to dig up information his ancestors were bound to write about. Ancient curses sounded exactly like the type of dark magic his family would meddle in, and when he pulled some of the oldest books with yellowed pages from their resting place, Draco wasn't prepared for what he was going to find. His rusty French wasn't enough to deter him from scouring the ancient words or phrases he didn't quite grasp but translated enough of it to move onto the next page.

Dark magic left its mark even in modern times, and countering it was difficult, but as the old language revealed the purpose of these curses (and there were a handful of them that did different things), the more he hoped that what Astoria said was true. Her lineage had a botched curse placed on them, only surfacing sporadically in her family since its inception. But eight generations had passed since the last recording of it, and that alone gave Draco a sense of dread that it meant it was overdue to resurface again.

One of the only promising sources he found was an old ritual spell that bound a person to an object to preserve their life. The instructions on it weren't very clear, and Draco chalked it up to the fatigue and countless hours he spent reading and translating ancient French. He did a copy spell of what he found to a loose piece of parchment and returned the books, satisfied that he found something to help reverse this otherwise impending tragedy.

"_Dauthus __refinucto,_" he muttered the words he was certain was a spell under his breath. It was a reoccurring phrase, and what was written after it held promise.

Draco held the decorative hair comb in his hand. He gifted it to Astoria on her birthday and she wore nearly every day since. He had taken it to the jewelers to have it cleaned and repaired when one of the peridots had come loose not too long before Astoria revealed her family secret. He had it back in his possession now but didn't have the nerve to give it back just yet, but it gave him a chance to spell it and to protect her from her family's long overdue tragedy.

"_Dauthus __refinucto,_" Draco repeated the words and mimicked the graphs showing the wand movements several times to no avail.

Giving up, he reread the pages in case he missed something only to catch a paragraph he must have overlooked in his tiredness. The ritual spell he found was much darker than a family curse, it was to become immortal.

Draco dropped the pages of text like it burned him, immediately setting them on fire without a second thought. His eyes landed on the hair comb he tried to imbue with dark magic and felt himself grow sick to his stomach. There was no way he could give this back to Astoria now, not after he tainted it.

He thought he found a way...


	18. Moon Glistened Rain

**Competition/Challenge Block:  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 12); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**House/Role:** Ravenclaw; Prefect (Hogwarts)

**Term (Assignment):** Term 12 - Assignment 10  
**Subject (Task):** Religious Education - Esbats: Task 1: Write a story from a werewolf's pov (note: the werewolf must be in wolf form for a majority of the story)  
**Other Hogwarts Challenges:** IPC: [588] (Windy); 365: [36] (Branch); Seasonal; Quarterly; Camp Hogwarts; Writing Month; Writing Club

**Other MC4A Challenges: **Spring Bingo; Chimera Creator; Link Maker; Scavenger Hunt; Shipping Wars  
**Representation:** Werewolf Remus Lupin  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:** Spinning Plates; Tomorrow's Shade; Second Verse (Nontraditional); Chorus (Machismo; Wabi Sabi) Demo (Easy Zephyr; Dog Star; Esbat) Demo (Toto's Tribute; Creature Feature; In The Trench)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:** T3 (Terse; Toad)

**Word Count:** 575 words (per Google Docs)

**Dedication: **HecateA

* * *

**Summary: **It was a full moon, but Remus wasn't going to let it tarnish the joy of being a new father.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **N/A

* * *

**Moon Glistened Rain**

Remus only had a few hours to give to his newborn son before he had to tear himself away and flee to the woods several miles away for the safety of everyone. Though the dark clouds started to slowly gather above, Remus knew that it wouldn't stop the moon's control over him even if he couldn't see its face. It's rays teased him as it started to peek over the horizon, but Remus continued to move through the thick woods, stripping himself of his clothing as he weaved between the branches. The makeshift den he built himself came into view then, it was not as comfortable as the Shrieking Shack, but safer than it was now since the war peaked. Fenrir hadn't found him here yet.

Placing his folded clothes in the suitcase he stashed there, Remus watched as the rays slipped through the trees and touched the ground beside him. His spine shivered involuntarily at its sight, even when the dark clouds danced over the moons face, temporarily obscuring its taunting light, he took in a breath and looked up to the sky to meet its gaze. The transformation happened in what felt like a blink of an eye now, though his body still burned once it was complete. The Wolfbane kept him aware of himself, and he was tired from the trauma his body went through, but all Remus could think of was his son.

He sniffed at the air, picking up the scent of the newborn off his hidden clothes. It was a comfort almost being able to have that with him for the night.

The relief he had seeing that Teddy took after Tonks was elating; his boy will never have to be a slave to the moon like he was.

Despite these comforts, Remus was restless anyway, and instead of curling up on the pile of old bedding, he decided to go for a run despite his lack of energy. He knew it would be safe where he was, not a soul would be out around the untouched woodlands, and after giving his limbs a brief stretch, he sniffed the air once more before taking off at full speed. The breeze of the oncoming storm brushed across his hindquarters, the fading moonlight gripped against his silver-brown fur, desperate to cling to its captor and not be swallowed by the storm.

Remus could smell the rain before it started to fall, the trees protected him from the worst of it as he circled back around to his den. The moon's light glistened off the falling rain before it was completely swept away by the wind-driven clouds. The small celebratory dance under the rain-covered full moon was exactly what was needed, it seemed. By the time he returned, his fur was soaked despite the extra protection. He panted heavily as he walked around a few times to regulate his breathing. He gave himself a firm shake to get what he could of the water off him, stretching his lanky limbs out before curling up on the makeshift bed. Snorting once, he looked to the darkened skies, almost smiling at the absence of the moon. Even though he remained affected by it, it was a small victory to not have to gaze upon it for a change.

There was a lot for him to celebrate tonight, and he wasn't going to allow his lycanthropy to get to him this time.


	19. The Curse

**Summary: **It was easy for others to say Ginny was fine, but only she knew herself.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **Referenced Possession/ Trauma/Obsession/Manipulation/Brainwashing/Insanity

* * *

**The Curse**

Feeling scared was an understatement as Ginny was led to the Hospital Wing—and forwarded to St. Mungo's—to be evaluated for her recent claims of being possessed by a book. No one believed her when she was examined and, otherwise sleep-deprived and slightly malnourished, was cleared to go home. Possession was a medieval practice; it was not normal to see it used in modern-day magic. It was all in her head; she would be fine.

That was what they said.

Being afraid was an understatement as she sat awake late into the countless nights, jumping at the slightest creak of her family's home or at the faintest of whispers in the wind.

'_You were only in my head,'_ Ginny wrote in her old, violet diary under the moonlight, half hoping for the ink to vanish and reappear. '_You cannot hurt me anymore.'_

She shattered the mirror when she glimpsed an inky ghost hovering behind her with a hand curled in her hair. Her mother cradled her on the floor of the bathroom as she sobbed between words.

"He's gone. He's not real."

Yet, she still felt the darkness lingering within. Fear was an understatement as she felt the blot of ink staining her mind rouse back to life. Like a deadly disease, it whispered her promises of greatness and untethered power. A scar of his making she wished she could ignore, but it lured her back in against her will.

Missing him was an understatement.

'_I know you're still here.'_ She wrote to him in her diary every night. '_Still living inside my mind, attached to my soul. Give me a sign… is it really you?'_

She didn't tell anyone; no one would believe her if she did. The healers assured her family she would be alright, so she pretended to be fine. But Ginny knew herself. Feeling different was an understatement; her magic changed, her thoughts twisted, and the control over herself was not the same.

After weeks of telling herself that he was gone yet finding herself writing to no one begging for him to not be dead, his soothing voice lulled her into a dreamless sleep one day as she wrote the same words over again. Sleep was the only thing Ginny had to help recover from the trauma no one said she endured.

At first, Ginny didn't notice the new writing in her diary the following night when she opened it to write the ritual-like words again, waiting for them to change, to respond, until she fell asleep. This time it was different; there was something there she didn't remember writing. A twitch of a smile was made as she gripped the quill in her hand.

Feeling joyful was an understatement.

'_I'm still here, my little witch.'_

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**The Houses Competition**

**Word Count:** 460

**Originally Written: **September 2018


	20. Just Me

**Summary: **Everyone thought Ginny would be fine, even Ginny herself. Her diary says otherwise.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **General

**Warning Tag: **Mentions of Possession; Obsessed With Tormentor

* * *

**Just Me... **

August 21st, 1993

My name is Ginevra Weasley. During my first year at Hogwarts, I came in contact with a cursed diary that looked very similar to you. I am not sure what compelled me to take you from the second-hand bookstore, maybe it was your faux leather cover that lured me in. Whatever the case, I shamelessly stole you. I want to tell you I am not afraid to write in you. I will _not_ let my fear of what happened to me consume my life.

He is not real. He can no longer hurt me.

You are just a diary. You cannot hurt me.

* * *

August 26th

I know summer is drawing to a close when the overcast skies in the early mornings leave a cold dew on the grass and windows of The Burrow. These dreary mornings remind me of when I found myself walking on Hogwarts grounds before sunrise in winter, diary in hand as I wrote to him my doubts. He assured me I wouldn't remember my visit to the coop to catch the roosters that strutted out to sound their morning song.

Yet I do remember.

Their blood dripped from my fingers and onto the snow. In the twilight before dawn, it looked like spilled ink splattered on a white canvas. I remember the darkness that gripped my mind; it was him. I never felt more scared but secretly thrilled to feel so close to his shadowed self...

But he is not _real_. He cannot hurt me anymore.

* * *

August 29th

Sometimes I think I can hear him whisper to me during the days like today. The grey sheet of clouds above cover the sky and sunlight, but still illuminates a different brightness to the earth.

I can hear him speaking about my potential and my abilities as a witch. About how I can do great things with them if I learned to control and harness my magic. He showed me a few times how powerful I could become, and I hate to say that I liked the feeling.

* * *

August 31st

I feel like you are mocking me for being what you are, diary. There are times I hope that you would respond and tell me I'm not crazy. That he is still lurking on the edges of my mind and soul. Everyone says that I will be fine and I will not experience residual effects from it.

But I am.

His whispers grow stronger every time I focus on his soothing voice. His desire for me to write about him, to remember him, grows every day.

I remember a particularly bad day I was having at Hogwarts. I finished dinner and proceeded to my dorms to write to him. A boy and girl in my year cut me off and was teasing me about my fraying hemline on my robes.

I felt the darkness grip my mind as my frustration and anger grew—I knew it was him wishing to take control. I held on, conscious enough to know I drew my wand, conscious enough to shout the curse from my lips at them, conscious enough to know he allowed me full control of my actions but applauded my success as I fled the corridor that filled with bats.

It made me feel powerful. He made me feel powerful. I miss it. I miss him.

I hoped that you would give me that feeling again as I carry you possessively everywhere I go, concealed in my bag to not raise concern from others.

However, I will not stop writing to him through you until his whispers tell me to stop.

* * *

September 1st

It's overcast again today—my new favorite weather. It reminds me of you, Tom. Your gloom, your paleness, your presence. You.

This year will not be the same without your guidance…

_I have never left, my little witch._

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)  
Monthly Challenge For All  
The Houses Competition**

**Word Count: **643**  
Originally Written: **September 2018


	21. Yuletide Comforts

**Competition/Challenge Block:**  
**Written for/Stacked with:** Monthly Challenges for All (Year 3)  
**Other MC4A Challenges: **Su Bingo 3B (Fire); Fireworks (Adventure Writer); Community Garden (Chore List [Hugging]; Bed Types [At Night]; Plant Types [Nontraditional Family]; Garden Tool [Ceramic Mug/Teacup]; Plant Food [Grains]); Shipping Wars (Heroic Shadow [Unconventional Date]); Link Maker (Bingo); Scavenger Hunt (Ceramic Mug); Chimera Creator (Protection)  
**Representation:** Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini QPR; Protective Behavior; Holiday Traditions  
**Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges:** Second Verse (Unwanted Advice; Spinning Plates; Zucchini Bread; Nontraditional) Chorus (Tomorrow's Shade; Fire Song; Machismo; Pocky Pockets; Pear-Shaped) Demo (Muck & Slime; Queen Bee); Demo (Sitting Hummingbird)  
**Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges:** O3 (Olivine); FR (Satisfaction; Liberation); SN (Intercept); T3 (Terse; Terrarium)

* * *

**Summary: **Harry loved Christmas, but hated decorating for it. At least one person he loved knew this.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **Family

**Warning Tag: **References to Canon Child Abuse

* * *

**Yuletide Comforts**

Christmas time for Harry never had been the most wonderful time like the songs in the stores sung about. To him, it was a reminder of how much he was loathed by his family. Most people enjoyed decorating their homes and trees with lights, baubles, and tinsel, but not Harry. Those things were seen as a chore, a punishment, and to the Dursleys, there was never enough garland around the house or the baubles weren't ever perfectly spaced out with the rest of the ornaments. No one ever helped him decorate anything at Number Four Privet Drive, there was only criticism and complaints. They never corrected any of it themselves, either, yet always took credit for it whenever guests or neighbors complimented the dressed up home.

So when Hermione suggested they brighten Grimmauld Place up with some lights in the windows and dress the empty tree that was set up in the sitting room, Harry physically flinched. Naturally, some of the Weasleys who happened to be visiting that day loved the idea, but Blaise knew better than to take Harry's reaction as more than face value. He was on his way into a complete meltdown at the mere request.

"Get out," Blaise snapped, violet eyes glinting at the small group clustered around the sitting room.

He never took it too kindly when Harry's alleged friends triggered him. Blaise would've thought that after a decade they'd know what would have Harry completely shut down.

"Pardon?" Ron asked, clearly offended by the command.

"Is this all just a game to you people?" Blaise hissed back, moving to the now catatonic Harry and grabbing his hand, giving it a squeeze to try and ground him. "I said, get _out._"

Hermione, the only one who seemed to register what was happening, got to her feet. Ron was about to protest, but George and Angelina intervened. The two couples quickly said their goodbyes, and Hermione whispered an apology as she passed by Harry.

Once the door clicked shut, Blaise guided Harry to the couch, sat him down, and lit a fire. "Focus on the flames. I will be right back."

Harry gave a feeble nod, staring into the roaring fire. Blaise didn't take long to return with a bowl of popcorn, dried berries and apples, and long pieces of thread with needles. He wasn't surprised to see Harry had managed to construct a pillow and blanket fort in his absence, using the knitted throw blanket as a roof and couch cushions as walls. The floor was a nice cushioned area of pillows and blankets as well.

The warmth from the fire made the space act like an incubator.

Placing the bowls at the entrance, Blaise cuddled in beside Harry. "My mother and I used to make these garlands when I was young."

Blaise grabbed a dried apple slice and some popcorn before taking the needle and poking it straight through the center of the apple and then the popcorn. He proceeded to separate the fruit with the popcorn, alternating between apples and the various berries.

"They make a lovely fireplace treat, too," Blaise said, popping a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth.

Harry laughed then, doing the same with some berries. He leaned into Blaise then as their charmed cocoa and tray landed in front of them. Harry had come back to him, and was now melting into the contact and comfort it provided. Thoughts of decorating long casted from his mind and into the fire.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you."

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **589

**Originally Written: **July 2020


	22. Healing Rain

**Summary: **Draco never understood Astoria's fascination with the rain until he needed to feel it, too.

**Rated: **K+

**Genre: **Family

**Warning Tag: **References Miscarriage

* * *

It was a humid summer afternoon, the storm clouds built around themselves above, Astoria watched from the window as they gathered and darkened. When the droplets started clinging to the glass, she ran out to the large back garden patio to splash in the rain. She giggled and squealed as the cool rain hit her face, and it was refreshing and the best medicine to combat the sticky heat.

It was how she met Draco during one of the many social parties her parents hosted. Astoria couldn't help but excuse herself to the powder room only to slip out the kitchen's entrance to twirl in the warm summer showers. He ran into her during one of her secret escapes, and instead of telling, he found himself curious as to where she was going and what she was doing. He stopped at the door's threshold, perplexed at her eagerness to slip off her dress shoes and step into the mud only to twirl around in the rain, getting soaking wet.

Astoria giggled, reaching a rain-soaked arm out to him with a smile. "Come dance with me, Draco."

He'd rather stay dry.

* * *

It was nearing the end of school, and the heat came early. It mixed with the waning spring rains and blanketed Draco's fifteenth birthday in a sticky, uncomfortable invisible fog. The warm droplets of water came falling from the sky soon after and offered some relief to the minor heat wave, but it still made the walk from the greenhouses back to the castle a bother.

Draco found himself stopping in his tracks after seeking refuge under the courtyard's covered pathway. There he saw Astoria twirling around the fountain, letting the rain drench her to the bone, yet it didn't wash off the smile that plastered her face. Her hair was stuck to her cheeks when she looked his way, and she moved close enough that he could hear her bare feet splashing against the wet cobblestone.

She held out her hand after a graceful spin, looking at him with sparkling eyes. "Come dance with me, Draco."

He sighed, pulling off his over cloak that was charmed to repel the rain and stepped out into the courtyard to wrap it around her.

"You're going to catch your death out here."

* * *

The newlyweds had lost their first child in utero just weeks after finding out they were expecting, and it tore Astoria to pieces in a way Draco had never seen her before. The funeral was private, only meant for them to have closure, no one else knew aside from the family healer. He watched her sit in the bay window, staring out into the garden where freshly planted snake's head flowers drooped their deep purple heads toward the ground. Though their meaning was pure, intended to be a visual acceptance of moving on from the past, it was almost like they wept with the couple at their unfortunate loss.

It was a warm, late spring day, and Draco learned by now that the building clouds above kept the damp heat contained at ground level, leaving that veil of stickiness on his skin that he always hated. But with it always came a gentle cool shower, something that Astoria always stopped whatever she did to get outside and enjoy its refreshing rain on her face.

When the rain started sprinkling against the window she stared out, Draco waited for her to get up and invite him to dance with her in it, but minutes ticked by and she remained as still as could be. He let out a breath, rolling up the crisp white sleeves of his shirt and removing his shoes and socks, he approached his grieving wife.

"Come dance with me, 'Stori," he said, holding out his hand.

Astoria looked up at him and offered a weak smile, though he didn't expect to see it touch her eyes. She accepted his hand and got to her feet, uncaring that she was still in her nightdress, she allowed him to lead her out onto their back patio, both barefoot and wearing their simple clothes. Draco lead her into a gentle turn before pulling her to him, embracing her. They spun in a slow circle, holding each other close, allowing the spring showers to wash their sadness away, at least for a little while.

He finally danced with her in the rain.

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **732

**Originally Written: **September 2020


	23. Breakfast for Th(r)ee

**Summary: **Draco and Astoria always made breakfast together, but it became less frequent when Astoria fell ill. But one morning came with a surprise.

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **Family

**Warning Tag: **References Pregnancy Symptoms

* * *

It became an unofficial tradition for the newlyweds to prepare breakfast together almost every morning. Cooking was not only a great pastime, it helped them grow closer together and learn even more about each other and their likes and dislikes. Food was a wonderful way to speak through as well, and another way to show love.

There was a spell where Astoria started to sleep a little longer and Draco prepared the morning meal solo, letting her rest after she fell sick with a stomach bug. Of course, he wouldn't protest on the days when she felt well enough to help, he was allowed to be a little selfish in missing their morning routine.

French toast was on todays' breakfast list, Astoria was still asleep, so Dracor prepared their secret recipe mixture solo. By the time he grabbed the brioche bread from the pantry and started warming up the griddle on the stove did she emerge in the kitchen.

"Good morning," she said with a yawn, and Draco didn't overlook the paleness of her face.

"Morning, love," he replied, turning his gaze back to his work. "I got breakfast handled."

He noticed she went for the tea that helped her stomach and knew she had another bout of nausea before she came out. Instead of worrying over it, he focused on the toast, flipping them over at the perfect time.

"Berries?"

"Please."

Draco grabbed some mixed berries from the icebox, washing them and prepping the strawberries, he finished the last few pieces of toast and placed two on each plate, leaving the extra stowed on the counter for now. Placing all the fixings on the table, he placed both plates down last and sat in the spot where his coffee waited for him. He didn't expect her to eat any of it based on her symptoms, but she would appreciate the gesture regardless.

"Bon appetit, mon amor."

"Could you add another slice of French toast on my plate, please?"

Draco raised a brow, surprised at the request. Astoria loved her breakfast, but still tended to be modest with her portions. It was something they both still retained from their upbringing, but he was perplexed based on his assumption she wouldn't want to risk eating after being sick so soon.

"One more?" he asked, making sure he heard correctly.

"I'm quite famished," she replied, resting a hand over her stomach. "And I think the little one is, too."

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **407

**Originally Written: **September 2020


	24. Artistic Disaster

**Summary: **Mother and daughter pursued their dreams while sitting on the kitchen floor.

**Rated: **T

**Genre: **Tragedy

**Warning Tag: **Character Death; Child Witnessing Death

* * *

**Artistic Disaster**

When he walked in, paint was everywhere but the canvases. Dirty blonde hair was now turned into a rainbow from stray splatters from the brushes as Luna painted away on the walls of their kitchen by the table. The happy hum of a made-up tune fell into sync with her mother who hummed nearby as she, too, happily worked on her project over a bubbling cauldron.

Xenophilius could only smile at his daughter and wife as he watched the pair work their artistic magic before his eyes. Luna's mural sparked to life from the touch of her paint-stained fingertips. The flutter of stars that she dotted across the blue-green sky twinkled as they were complemented by a full moon Luna had filled in with white and grey. A touch of a grey-hue glowed from it once finished, and it lit up the landscape she peppered with nocturnal creatures.

Dione sat nearby, her work station sprawled out around her on the ground. Her cauldron gurgled beside her as she studied her self-written spellbook, which she always strived to improve. She was in the process of perfecting an instant brew charm for potions, and he knew she would be able to accomplish it just as she had with the others in the past.

He ascended the stairs to his makeshift office, leaving his precious girls to their work while he went to tinker with his own. Xenophilius had just approached the well-worn chair before the floor shook under him, the horrid sound of a cauldron breaking was heard soon after.

His child's scream summoned the man to the grave scene that unfolded just seconds ago when he swiftly retraced his steps. He collected the sobbing girl in his arms as he bore witness to his wife's failed experiment all around them. The potion from the cauldron now splattered across the kitchen, Dione stared at her family as her body feebly twitched, clinging to the last breath she held in her lungs to mouth her three final words.

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**The Houses Competitions**

**Word count: **(Per Google Docs) 335

**Originally Written: **May 2018


	25. Starstruck

**Summary: **It was unusual for a soul mark to be the way Draco's was; unidentifiable. He wondered if it was defective until he found the person who bore his mark. - — Soul Mark!AU

**Rated: **K

**Genre: **General

**Warnings: **N/A

* * *

**Starstruck**

Draco didn't expect anyone to be up in the Astronomy Tower in the late hour. Her presence hit him like the cold winter chill that bit the air on clear nights like this; sudden, but refreshing. The soft silver light from the rising moon had her silhouette glowing like the depictions of angels he'd seen in muggle paintings he'd admired in the Room of Hidden Things what felt like so long ago.

She peered up at the midnight-blue sky, quill in hand, a star map spread out over the table in front of her, and a telescope strategically placed and angled at a steep degree facing East. Not wanting to disturb her, Draco turned to leave only to stall when he noticed the dull glimmer of spots speckling across her bare left shoulder.

His hand touched his own left shoulder where a similar mark was splattered across his skin. It glowed in the moonlight, too, but not as vibrant as others he'd seen. Most of his friends' soul-marks were distinct and clear, like Theo's vines that shimmer green in sunlight, or Pansy's flower petals that sparkled in the shade.

It was difficult to figure out his own mark. Some said it looked like paint splatters, but his mother insisted it appeared to look more like stars given that it only dimly glowed when the moon was visible. Hers looked no different, and he wondered if she might have figured out what it was supposed to be.

He hadn't realized he was staring until she turned and met his gaze. She smiled at him and inclined her head enough to offer a silent invitation to join her and her exploration of space.

"You're—"

"Astoria," she said, looking to her map and pointing at a constellation on the chart. "And you're Draco."

He gave a nod in confirmation. They knew each other only in passing, so this sudden encounter felt strange, almost intimate, but comforting at the same time.

Draco approached and tore his gaze from Astoria to the star map in front of her. It was an impressive piece of work, never before had he seen such detail and precision in something intended to be so complex. She must have been working on it for years, and here she stood, enchanted ink and quill in hand, still mapping out the sky on an already immaculate chart.

"Couldn't sleep, either?" she asked, turning her attention back up to the sky.

"No."

He looked back at her shoulder, having a better picture of his own mark to pick apart was convenient, and he shamelessly took advantage of it. Draco knew it was rude to stare and inspect one's mark, but he simply couldn't help himself.

"It's a constellation, I just know it is," Astoria said suddenly, pulling his attention back to her. "I just haven't found it yet."

She looked at him again, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking. "Do you mind if I look at yours? I might not have drawn mine out correctly."

Draco felt the color drain from his face. Revealing his soul-mark meant revealing something else, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept that fate brought them together this way.

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 536

**Originally Written: **August 2019


	26. Behave

**Summary: **Tracey just wanted to be themself, unchained and unashamed. Daphne was the only one who could help set them free.

**Genre: **General

**Rated: **T

**Warning Tag: **Child Abuse; Misogyny; Agenderphobic

* * *

**Behave**

"_Behave like the lady I am raising you to be!" _their mother would screech as she patched up another gashed knee.

Tracey liked climbing trees, but dresses and skirts made this near impossible. They snagged on branches and caused them to lose balance often, and it always made Mother angry when she saw yet another dress torn to pieces in the aftermath of such an activity. Tracey found the aesthetic of the dress pleasing if they could only properly refine it some, but their mother would toss them into the rubbish bin as soon as it was stripped from their person.

"_Honestly, child! How are you able to do ballet on a broken leg and ankle?"_ their mother scolded as Tracey laid in the hospital bed with a freshly plastered cast on and bottles of Skele-Gro left on the end table.

The physical pain they could endure, it was the emotional anguish their parents put them through that forced them to hate the facade of that perfect pureblood daughter they sought after. It caused them to wither just a little bit more every time. They never liked dancing anyway, and that old oak tree in the forest was very appealing to scale. A win-win in the end.

Chin up, shoulders squared, smooth out the wrinkles of your skirt as you sit. Smile and laugh at everyone's comments and playful wooing and awkward touching. Be coy, be wanted; it was what a proper pureblood lady does to find a suitor to secure their future.

"_Ladies do not wear trousers with corsets and button-ups!" _Their father bellowed, slashing their arms and legs with a slicing charm to shred the clothing off their body.

They'd been caught in their brother's room, digging out the old clothes he no longer wore to take to school with them where they could wear them without fear. They fled to their room crying while holding the scraps of clothing together to conceal themselves. How much crueler could he get?

Apparently much, much worse...

If only Daphne were there with them to wash away the pain and soothe the bruises with her touch. To wipe away the tears and tell them that there was nothing wrong with them and that she loved them the way they were. There was nothing wrong.

Tracey embraced it by the time they were fifteen. Conforming to gender roles was something they would actively fight against their parents with for the sake of their sanity and very identity. Daphne helped them break their betrothal by bonding with them, tethering their magic together forever and always. To help heal the wounds and re-mend their damaged spirit from the suffering they endured. This was enough to have them disowned and tossed to the streets by those who had no right to be called family.

Just wait until their father realizes that they nicked one of his pipes. After all, ladies would _never_ smoke in such an undignified way…

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **493

**Originally Written: **August 2019


	27. Buried in the Deep

**Summary: **Charlie wanted to explore his father's shed. Little did he know what lurked within.

**Genre: **Humor

**Rated: **K+

**Warning Tag: **Furby Nightmares

* * *

**Buried in the Deep**

Charlie hadn't been in his father's shed full of treasures since he moved out of the Burrow, so when the chance to slip away from the chaotic setup of his eldest brother's wedding came up, he gladly took the task in setting out to find more chairs.

The air was still stale and thick with dust, and the light inside was still dark, only a few strays of sunlight escaped through cracks of the wood plank siding. It didn't feel as mysterious and scary as he remembered, but it still gave him that sense of excitement. There were a lot of new things strewn about, and it looked a little more organized than before. The work bench was mostly cleared off, but was lined with a bunch of small ray-dough's. Some were taken apart, and Charlie went to investigate only to quickly lose interest when what sounded like gravel in a tin bucket was being rattled around from the one he tinkered with.

Lighting his wand, Charlie went further to the back where it was harder to see. Vaguely remembering that there were a few folding chairs tucked in the back once upon a time there. He brushed past a fuzzy looking object along the way, and the childish voice he heard seconds later had him freeze on the spot.

"AAH! Me scawed. Mama!"

'_There's a _child _in here?' _was the first thing he thought, frantically looking around and under the tables.

"Hello? Where are you?"

"Mama! Scawed. Too dawk. Ah!"

There was a strange, mechanical sound heard then, like something was trying to move but not very successfully. Charlie stopped to listen, trying to find its source. He took a couple slow steps backwards, but something caught around his ankle, causing him to stumble and fall right onto his bum.

He swore loudly as the pain shot up his tailbone. And then that voice was heard again, but this time it was very close, and right next to him.

"Ah! Woud sound."

Charlie looked to his right, and what looked back from underneath the table had his blood run cold. It had bulging eyes, a beak mouth, and large ears. It stared at him for a long moment before suddenly blinking, the mechanical sounds emitting from it as it looked to be bouncing around.

"Mama!" the thing chirped before making the most terrifying giggly laugh the ginger had ever heard.

He was on his feet and bolting for the door before he could register what he was doing. Charlie Weasley, Dragon Wrangler for a large portion of his life, got scared of a small, robotic Muggle pet Furby.

* * *

_Originally Written For:_

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition**

**Monthly Challenges for All**

**Word Count: **439

**Originally Written: **June 2018


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